The number fuel cell vehicles introduced in the world in the coming decade will reach 800,000 according to ABI’s new study on the topic. "Our expectations in last year’s study that early fuel cell vehicles will be available by 2003 is already being met by Toyota and Honda in the US and in Japan," said Atakan Ozbek, Director of Energy Research and author of the study.

The number fuel cell vehicles introduced in the world in the coming decade will reach 800,000 according to ABI’s new study on the topic. "Our expectations in last year’s study that early fuel cell vehicles will be available by 2003 is already being met by Toyota and Honda in the US and in Japan," said Atakan Ozbek, Director of Energy Research and author of the study. Allied Business Intelligence (ABI) research shows that greater emphasis is fi nally being given to fuel cells in the European Union, much as in Japan. The US will have to more aggressively execute its strategy of solving technological challenges and infrastructure layouts if it is to help early fuel cell vehicle introduction by the second half of the decade.

"We have started to see more upbeat participation in automotive fuel cells in the European Union in the last year. And Japan already has been so active in this fi eld it is taking the lead along with the US. The US, on the other hand, has to push the fuel cell sector toward meaningful infrastructure deployment, bringing in all the stakeholders -- and by that we mean the oil industry," said Ozbek.

ABI has updated its forecasts for fuel cell vehicle shipments in the study and also updated its analysis of the changing global fuel cell business environment. The study exposes regional characteristics of the automotive fuel cell sector and outlines a timeline for potential fuel cell penetration in the next ten years.

The new ABI study, "Automotive Fuel Cells: Global Market Issues, Technology Dynamics, and Major Players," analyzes market opportunities for automotive fuel cells from passenger cars to buses and trucks. Niche market opportunities from fl eet applications to airport ground support vehicles are also investigated. The study details the technical challenges and opportunities from both market economic and environmental perspectives. The major players in the industry are delineated, along with the status of their technologies and the most likely applications in the near term, from 2002 to 2012.

Allied Business Intelligence Inc is an Oyster Bay, NYbased technology research think tank founded in 1990. ABI publishes research and technology intelligence on the wireless, automotive, electronics, networking and energy industries. Details can be found at www.alliedworld.com or by calling 516-624-3113.